Second Sunday in Lent
Jesus’ Grieving and Ours
Even Jesus did not have a life free from grief or sadness. Along with the Old Testament prophets, in whose footsteps he walked, his wisdom in evaluating the current state of affairs brought him sadness, and his knowledge of the consequences of human actions caused him grief. In striking contrast to the ideals of Greek metaphysics, God suffers. God mourns over the sorrows of God’s children. Jesus grieves over the suffering to come to Jerusalem (Luke 13:34–35). Jesus weeps at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:33–35). Jesus prays in anguish in Gethsemane, knowing what he is facing (Luke 22:41–44).
Much of human suffering is caused by human actions, our own or those of others. Our hoarding in troubled times causes shortages for others. Our insistence on “the finer things of life” at the lowest possible prices leads to low wages for workers at home and abroad, clear-cutting of wilderness lands for unjust gain by foreign corporations, thoughtless consumption and disposal of single-use products.
As individuals, as a church, as a society, may we learn from the prophetic voices, past and present, of those who see the consequences of our actions. May we grieve, as God grieves, over our actions. May we change our hearts and lives in response to this holy grief. May we learn to see as God sees, to suffer as God suffers, to live in sacrificial love as Jesus lived.
What language shall I borrow to thank you, dearest friend,
for this, your dying sorrow, your mercy without end?
Lord, make me yours forever, a loyal servant true,
and let me never, never, outlive my love for you.
(Medieval Latin, trans. Paul Gerhardt [1656], trans. J. W. Alexander [1830], alt.,
Moravian Book of Worship, hymn 345)
Nola Reed Knouse, pastor of congregational care and visitation,
Calvary Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina